Updated: Positive Test flying to the States: what do you do? Personal experience. Delta variant

Bets! So glad you and DH made it back to the winter scene in the heartland! Quite a contrast to the South of France, I'm sure.

Your heart must have stopped when the guy was taking so long to decide on your documentation.

I'm glad the CDC info helped you. As you know I was anxious about testing positive at the end of my stay in France and had practically memorized the CDC website in regard to the procedure before a return trip to the US.

Thanks so much for posting this. It will be helpful to others I am sure!

Wow. Thanks for sharing. This is something anyone who travels during this time has to take into consideration.

We received a notification, the day after our return, that we were "close contacts" of someone who had tested positive. Since this notification came from the health authority in the UK, we assume that means we were exposed on our flight from Italy to London (where we transferred to our flight home to Calgary). The notification ordered us to isolate for 10 days, but we checked with our own health authority, and they don't require isolation unless one is symptomatic. Still, to be sure, we purchased our own antigen tests and tested after 3 days and after 7 days (both negative). It's 10 days as of today, and neither of us have developed symptoms.

We weren't overly worried, since we both wore KN95 masks at the airport and for the entire duration of the flight--we didn't eat or drink on that flight. Still, the man sitting next to my husband did remove his mask to drink, and my husband had to remind him to put it back on afterward. Overall, people were good about masking on that flight, and the airline crew was good about enforcing it (unlike our flight from London to Calgary, but that's another story).

This and your experience both demonstrate that travel still comes with risks of catching Covid and having to quarantine and/or being denied boarding, so everyone who travels at this time needs to be aware of the rules and have some plans in place, just in case.

This and your experience both demonstrate that travel still comes with
risks of catching Covid and having to quarantine and/or being denied
boarding, so everyone who travels at this time needs to be aware of
the rules and have some plans in place, just in case.

This. Unfortunately we are still a long ways from normal travel and everyone needs to be aware of how the rules work and plan accordingly.

Bets, thank you so much for sharing your experience. And so glad to hear that you’re healthy and back in the States. This is information I could find nowhere else, it is no doubt the most important bookmark I will make this year. Can any doctolib doctor issue the MD letter clearing you for travel? What proof would you need to show them at the appointment?

Welcome back, Bets. I hadn't known that one can test positive for three months after recovery. Sorry you got sick, glad you were able to navigate the return safely, and best wishes for continued good health. And happy holidays too!

First, the French health authorities didn't want the names of anyone we were in contact with before symptoms started. This correlates with your local health authority, BB. Perhaps because we are vaccinated?? I was told I didn’t have to isolate after exposure because I was fully vaccinated. I did have to isolate once I was positive, though. Also, the TV news doctor reported that vaccinated people are contagious only six days after the start of symptoms. Edit: 5 with Omicron

Barbara, our doctor is 50 meters on the other side of our courtyard in France. He just looked at our dates, saw we had no more fever, were beyond the 10 days and wrote the letters. We preceded the surge by a week; by the time we saw him, he was slammed. I would ask the pharmacy or landlord if you were in an apartment or ask your hotel. Personal contact helps.

Ladies: lab results could be in your maiden name, so be sure the doctor's letter gets it right. The Americans use one, the French the other.

You have two sets of important dates: date of first symptoms and date of swab. Your isolation is counted in France from the date of the first symptoms, but your health pass is dead for 10 days from the date of the positive PCR swab. Results come the same day most of the time. (Someone in Germany was isolated from the date of PCR swab, so it varies.) As soon as you can drag yourself out the door, get that swab. If the antigen is positive, get the PCR immediately because that's when your clock will start ticking. Our doctor was good enough to write the letters based on the symptom dates. The airline employee counted the days on the PCR result, which you need to have printed out. I just made it. Edit: not everyone is told to get a PCR. Labs are swamped. So assume your 7 days will be counted from the day of your antigen test.

Thank you Dick. It was less than a cold, but I couldn't smell the coffee for a few days. I thought the experience and steps were important to share.

Excellent thread. Begs the question: You test positive, you need to isolate 10-14 days in-country. How and where do you do that? Hotel? BnB? How do you pay for it?

bogiesan, That's a good question; I don't know. Maybe someone who had to go to a hotel or airbnb will chime in. The French health system gives you a telephone number to call for help: errands, room for isolation, etc., most likely a budget accommodation. You pay for your accommodation. When we called about something last week, the woman I spoke with said she had 80 calls waiting.

We were lucky to be in our own apartment in France. I had Monoprix deliver food. Since our cases overlapped, we had only five days when we were both isolated, unable to get a fresh baguette.

Thank you for posting this. I’m glad you have fully recovered.

Bets,

Thanks for all the info (and welcome back to dreary Indiana). I have no present intention to travel but I’ve been helping a friend plan for her first trip and this is invaluable info.

For now, I’ll just fantasize about returning. We were lucky enough to spend two weeks in Paris in February of 2020. I sometimes wonder whether we were exposed then. We both felt ill on the way home (but more with GI issues) but no one we encountered once we were home got sick (that we were aware of). So we tend to think not. And we had COVID for certain in October. Both vaccinated and transmitted to my husband at work by someone who was vaccinated. Both of are recovered just fine but it wasn’t the most fun we’ve had!

Thanks so much for a clear account of what was/is required. As much knowledge as we have ahead, in case it is needed, is so beneficial. First hand accounts are kind of hard to come by. And thanks to Pam for finding the necessary regulations!

Bets thank you for taking the time to relay all of these details to people who have plans to travel or are already in Europe wondering these very same things. Welcome back, enjoy your time with family and take care.

so finding a doctor will be the tricky part for a tourist who does not have a doctor in France. Any advice on how an American visitor could book such an appointment?

Janet, I’d try to use the same neighborhood pharmacy to develop a relationship, so that, when you need something, such as the name of a doctor, you’ve already become one of their repeat customers. Next, ask the landlord or the hotel for help. Personal relationships grease the wheels. Not always up to date, but credit card companies have referral services. Finally, you could call the Embassy or Consulate or the American Hospital in Neuilly for one of their doctors.

Bets, I’m happy to hear you were able to board the plane and successfully get back to the U.S. This information is invaluable to those of us who want to travel. Welcome back!

Thanks Bets for sharing your experience. Appreciated the latest CDC update from 12/2/21. Such important information for those who have chosen to travel. So glad it all worked out for you. In good health. ;)

Thank you so much! Bookmarking for the future.

Thank you for posting this. We are traveling in April so fingers crossed for a relatively covid-free trip.

Bets, thank you for this very detailed and helpful post.

Thanks, Bets and Pam!

We had planned to add a week on both ends of our Rick Steves France tour in May, but I think it would be less stressful to depart for home at the end of the tour when the guide will still be with us.

I'll follow the CDC for updates.

Thank you Bets! Very thorough, very helpful. Glad to hear you did not have severe symptoms and were able to return to the US after your isolation. This whole situation is worrisome. 1st, because one does not want to get Covid. My husband and I are in our 70s and we think it's a very good idea to avoid it. 2nd because of how difficult and possibly expensive it might be to deal with having Covid in a foreign country and all that entails. So all this very clear information is extremely helpful. It is very much appreciated.

Sorry Aimee. I just saw your question.
No one at US Passport control asked for the documents or any health services upon arrival. They were checked only at boarding in France.